This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987, and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Afterward, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian at an animal clinic for over a decade.

There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Before you go on a flea hunt, think about why you suspect your cat might have fleas. If you've seen fleas on your cat or in your house, you know for sure you are dealing with fleas and should use a veterinary flea treatment labeled for cats. But, you may have a flea problem even if you've never seen a flea on your pet or in your home. Your cat may have cleaned the adult fleas from her fur. Flea eggs may have fallen off your pet and could hatch a few weeks later. Either way, it's important to know for certain if your cat has fleas.

Steps

Part 1

Assessing Your Cat's Symptoms

1

Pay attention to your cat's grooming. If your cat is sensitive to fleas, she may have an allergic reaction. Even cats that are not allergic to flea saliva experience irritation and itching from individual bites. This triggers excessive grooming behavior. Your cat may clean herself so often and thoroughly that she removes the fleas. It may be harder to spot the fleas since they hop on to the cat to feed and hop off again, so they only temporarily appear. This explains why your cat can have fleas even if you can't find them.[1]

Signs of flea infestation will be different depending on your cat's health, the number of fleas on the cat and other individual factors.

2

Look for flea symptoms. Flea bites are very irritating. Watch your cat for the following flea symptoms:[2]

small bumps or crusts, usually on the neck and along the back

skin irritation, especially on the back of the neck and base of the tail

Pay attention to your cat's behavior. Your cat may suddenly avoid rooms she used to enjoy, especially if they're carpeted and are harboring fleas. Your cat might also appear restless or edgy. She may even start growling or shaking her head a lot. Your cat may be trying to get rid of the fleas.

Some cats may be more sensitive to flea bites and will appear more bothered by the flea bites. They may develop strange behaviors because they are uncomfortable.[4]

4

Watch for signs of anemia. If the flea infestation is really bad in your cat, not only will she have a lot of fleas in her coat, but she may suffer from blood loss and develop anemia. If so, look for lethargy or extreme tiredness, pale gums, and muscle loss. You should also check the flea dirt against a wet white towel to be sure of fleas. Regardless of whether your cat has fleas, you should take her to the vet if she's anemic.[5]

Kittens and elderly cats are more likely to get anemia from flea infestation.

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Part 1 Quiz

How might your cat's grooming behavior change if it has fleas?

it'll stop grooming itself.

Try again! If your cat is too lethargic to groom itself, it may be a sign of anemia, which can be caused by fleas, though fleas aren't the only possible cause. However, fleas make your cat itchy, which makes it feel like it needs to groom, so it won't stop grooming itself. Pick another answer!

it'll groom itself excessively.

Yes! The itching caused by flea bites can make your cat feel like it's constantly in need of grooming, so it'll groom itself excessively. it'll also produce more hairballs due to all the unnecessary grooming. Read on for another quiz question.

it'll avoid grooming specific parts of her body.

Not exactly! It's true that fleas tend to congregate on certain parts of a cat's body, especially the back of its neck and the base of its tail. But the fleas make those places extra-itchy, which means your cat will want to groom them more, not less. Click on another answer to find the right one...

it won't be willing to groom itself in certain rooms.

Not quite! Your cat may indeed avoid certain rooms when it has fleas, but that's not tied to grooming behavior. It's caused by the irritation from the fleas making it act differently out of stress. Choose another answer!

Part 2

Looking for Fleas on Your Cat

1

Secure your cat. Set your cat on a white sheet or pillowcase. The white fabric will let you see any fleas or flea dirt you might dislodge. If you want to hold the cat in your lap while combing, drape your lap with the cloth first.

Fleas are dark brown wingless insects about 3 to 4 millimeters in length.[6] You may notice them jump away as you work. Check in between the cat's legs on their bellies. Part the fur here as it is a common place for fleas to inhabit.

2

Comb your cat's fur. Comb the cat from head to tail with a flea comb and examine the fur and exposed skin as you work. Pay particular attention to the back of the neck, the base of the tail and the insides of the legs. These are favorite hiding spots of fleas.[7]

Flea combs are designed to trap fleas on the teeth of the comb. The teeth are so close together that the flea cannot escape and is brought to the surface.

3

Examine the flea comb. Even if you don't find jumping fleas, you may find flea excrement or flea eggs, which look like salt and pepper. If you find any suspicious material, place it on a damp paper towel. Flea excrement contains blood, so it turns dark red when it gets wet.[8]

If you notice this flea excrement, or flea dirt, there are fleas somewhere on your cat.

4

Check for flea feces or flea dirt. Shake the dirt from the comb and her fur onto the white sheet so you can see the black specks. To distinguish normal dirt from flea feces, sprinkle a little water over the specks. If it's flea dirt, the black specks will turn red-brown or orange with a halo effect.[9]

This is easiest if you placed your cat on a white towel or sheet when you combed her.

5

Look for patches of hair loss. There are several reasons that fleas might contribute to your cat's hair loss. Your cat may be irritated by the constant biting and scratches her fur a lot, leading to patches of hair loss. Or, your cat might be allergic to flea saliva which irritates the skin and causes extra scratching.[10]

Your cat may be allergic to something other than fleas. If you don't find fleas, but your cat is still constantly scratching, take her to the vet.

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Part 2 Quiz

Why should you put a white sheet or towel under your cat before combing it with a flea comb?

So you can see any fleas or flea dirt you comb off.

Nice! Fleas are only a few millimeters long, and their eggs and excrement are even tinier. Having a white itet under your cat when you check it for fleas will make it easier to notice any fleas or flea dirt you dislodge with the comb. Read on for another quiz question.

To catch the hair your cat itds when bruitd.

Not quite! Your cat probably will shed a little when you comb it, which is fine and normal. Whether its shed fur lands on the towel or not, though, you don't have to examine it when checking for fleas. There’s a better option out there!

To keep your cat calm while you brush her.

Not necessarily! If your cat doesn't like to sit still and be brushed, you should hold it while you check for fleas (and put the sheet or pillowcase over your lap first). There's nothing magical about a sheet that will make your cat calmer than it normally is. Pick another answer!

Part 3

Giving Your Cat Preventative Flea Treatment

1

Find a flea treatment. Even if you don't find fleas, you should consider using a product that both protects your cat from fleas and treats current infestations. Modern flea preventatives are safe and extremely effective. Some can be purchased over the counter and others are only available from veterinarians.

Choose a product specifically for feline use since some dog products contain ingredients that can be harmful to cats. Check with your veterinarian for help choosing a product that meets your cat's needs.

2

Treat your cat with monthly flea medication. Follow the packaged instructions or your vet's directions when giving the medication. Treatment will protect your cat from future flea problems and will tell you whether it was a flea problem that caused your cat's symptoms. If the problem goes away after treatment, fleas probably contributed to the issue even if you never saw them.

Monthly preventative treatments are available orally, as injections, and as topical medications.[11]

3

Choose a flea collar that is approved by your vet. There are a variety of flea collars on the market. Some work well, while others don't work at all, and some may be toxic to your cat.[12] Therefore, it's important to talk with your vet before using a flea collar.

Consider putting a flea collar in your vacuum bag or canister to kill any fleas that you vacuum up.[13]

4

Prevent fleas from infesting your home. Vacuum all the carpets, rugs, and upholstery every day. Be sure to throw away the vacuum bag in an outside dumpster so the fleas can't get back out. You should also wash your pet's bedding in hot water to kill any fleas.

If you have a flea infestation that you can't seem to get rid of, you may need to use a household fogger. This releases toxins that kill the fleas and their eggs, but it may be harmful to pets and children. Carefully learn about foggers before using them.[14]

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Part 3 Quiz

Why should you choose a cat-specific flea treatment for your cat?

It's cheaper than getting one that works on dogs.

Not necessarily! Flea treatments are available at a variety of different price points, and treatments for one pet aren't necessarily more expensive than treatments for a different one. That said, there's still a very valid reason to choose a cat-specific treatment for your cat. Click on another answer to find the right one...

A treatment made for dogs might be toxic to cats.

That's right! Cats and dogs are different animals, and they react differently to different chemicals. Some flea treatments for dogs are also safe to use on cats, but it's better to pick a cat-specific one rather than risk dosing your cat with a harmful chemical. Read on for another quiz question.

Only cat-specific treatments work on cat fleas.

Nope! Even though there are different species of fleas called "cat fleas" and "dog fleas," either type can live on either animal, and flea treatments are effective against both types. Using species-specific flea treatments are more about the effect on the host animal. Choose another answer!

Community Q&A

Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987, and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Afterward, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian at an animal clinic for over a decade.

Cat fleas don't live on people, and the latter don't become infested in the same ways cats and dogs. People do get bitten by fleas, but by accident. However, some people are allergic to flea saliva, which is why they can become so itchy and uncomfortable.

A week ago I adopted a 6-month old kitten infested with fleas. He's been in the washroom in isolation. He's had Frontline Plus applied to his neck, and had three doses of Capstar. When can I let him loose in the home?

Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987, and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Afterward, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian at an animal clinic for over a decade.

Anytime from now onwards is fine. Capstar has a rapid kill effect and will knock dead any fleas on the cat that day. Frontline takes longer to kill the fleas but it has a longer persistence of activity — around four weeks. Thus, any fleas that he originally bought in with him should be well and truly dead by now.

My cat is never around other animals other than the mice she catches. Where could she have picked up the fleas?

wikiHow Contributor

Community Answer

Your cat could've picked them up from the mice she catches; fleas will abandon a dying animal for the nearest live one. Any time your animal goes outside, they are vulnerable to fleas, which multiply rapidly.

Part his hair multiple times and see if you see any fleas crawling through his fur. You can also buy a cheap flea comb and check that way. Dandruff isn't always a sign of fleas. It could be because of lack of proper grooming, food, water intake, or mites under the skin.

Go to the vet; he/she will prescribe medication that kills the fleas on your cat, but is also soothing to the sores. In the meantime, get a wet washcloth and dab it over the sores. If you see your cat itching, disrupt him/her.

wikiHow Video: How to Check Cats for Fleas

To check a cat for fleas, drape a white sheet over your lap and set your cat on it. Then, comb your cat with a flea comb while visually checking for fleas, which are small and brown. Some of them may jump off onto the cloth while others will get stuck in the comb or remain on the cat. Even if you don’t see fleas, check your cat and the cloth for flea eggs and feces, which look like salt and pepper. For advice from our Veterinary reviewer on symptoms and treatments for fleas, read more!

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Tips

Be sure to check all pets in your household if you suspect any of them has fleas.

Fleas are the most common cause of feline skin disease and are typically the easiest to diagnose and treat.

If you live in a flea-endemic area, make sure you use a preventative treatment on your cat to avoid flea infestation.

Consider asking your veterinarian about treating your cat for tapeworms if your pet has had fleas.

In addition to flea dirt, you may find flea eggs (white specks) in the cat's fur.

If the infestation is bad enough, consider consulting an exterminator.

Warnings

If your cat has fleas, you're at risk for being bitten by fleas.

Fleas can cause blood-loss anemia, especially in kittens, and spread diseases, including typhus-like Rickettsia and Bartonella. They also spread tapeworms and cause skin irritation.[15]

Flea pupae can remain dormant for several months. So, it's important that once you notice a flea problem you use a preventative treatment on your cat and thoroughly clean your home. You should also treat potential problem areas with a product safe for indoor use to prevent fleas from returning.[16]

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Article Info

This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987, and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Afterward, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian at an animal clinic for over a decade.

"I was not really sure how to check for fleas, but she has been itching a lot. Now I know where to look. Thank you so much. She is not one to be handled on my terms, just hers."..." more

AL

Aeris Lizotte

Oct 2, 2018

"I have two kittens, and their flea problem was pretty bad. This gave me much advice to help me get them better, and the fleas are almost all gone now! This has helped me very much. They're very happy now, thank you!"..." more

RT

Rose Tozier

Apr 7, 2018

"This review answered so many questions I had and more! Symptoms and side effects I never knew existed. Like a reason my flea-ridden cat has stopped eating could be due to a tapeworm. Also, how fleas can jump on and off to feed. Endless info. Thank you!"..." more

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Abbi Bazan

Nov 29, 2016

"This review gave me information that I did not know about fleas, such as the color of flea excrement and the hair loss bit, and much more. I'm going to buy a flea comb - I didn't know those existed, so thank you for that as well."..." more

AC

Ashley Cushing

Jan 11, 2018

"Thank you for the informative information in this review! My cat Peanut got bitten by fleas in the fall and my mom and I went to the vet today, where they helped treat her."..." more

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Leslie Spears

Jun 11, 2017

"The articles are detailed and easy to understand. I love my cats, and want to take the best possible care of them. This helps me feel more confident in doing that."..." more